A renter's guide to saving water
In this article
- Practical tips for saving water when you're renting
You don’t have to be a homeowner to benefit from water-saving actions. Nearly 40% of Western Australians live in rented accommodation. While there are limitations on what you can change in your rented home, there are ways to reduce your bills and help to secure water for our future.
Some of the most effective steps you can take to save water include making small changes with no financial cost.
Take 4 min showers
Avoid wrinkly toes and fingers and add fun to your shower by listening to your favourite 4-minute waterwise shower songs playlist on Spotify.
Brush your teeth with the tap off
Make sure you don’t keep your tap running while you brush your teeth. This can save you many litres of water daily.
Check your watering day
When we stick to our watering days, we save around 4.5 billion litres of water a year in WA. Your watering days are determined by your house or lot number and postcode. Check your watering days to find out when you can turn your irrigation on.
Collect used water
Collect used water from your shower or washing machine for watering plants. This can be done by placing a bucket under your shower. Reducing the water you use on your plants or garden can significantly reduce your water consumption and keep your plants happy.
Waterwise washing machines
If you’re in the market for a washing machine, purchase a WELS star rating of 4 or more washing machine. Water-efficient washing machines use less water than average.
If you have a dishwasher
Make sure it is full before putting it on. This may sound basic, but too many people wash as they go instead of filling the dishwasher up before starting it.
Scrape your leftovers
Scrape your leftovers in the bin instead of rinsing them before putting them in the dishwasher. Not only will this result in healthier drains but also less water usage.
Clean your driveway with a broom
Use a broom to clean your driveway instead of the hose.
Use the half-flush
When using a dual-flush toilet, opt for the half-flush where appropriate. If your landlord is replacing a single-flush toilet, consider suggesting a water-efficient dual flush model as it could save 80 litres per person daily.
Go for WELS 6 rated taps
Install WELS 6 rated taps or flow-controlled aerators. Please check with the property owner before installing any new taps or aerators.
Water-efficient showerheads
If you have old inefficient showerheads, try asking your landlord to replace them with WELS 4 star models, as these can save up to 20,000L of water per year.
Watch for leaks
A tap leaking at one drip per second wastes more than 12,000 litres of water a year. Save water by fixing any leaking taps as soon as possible. You may need to get in touch with the property owner or property manager before going ahead.
Keep track of your water use
If you have tenant billing log into your online account to track your water use and see how it compares to your billing periods and similar households in your area. If you don’t have tenant billing and would like to receive your water bills directly from us, please visit tenant billing.
Sometimes the property owner prefers to receive the water bill and bill you for the water use. If this is the case, use our waterwise status tool to see how your household’s water use compares to others in your area. You will need your account number, so please contact your property manager or owner to get the account number and start comparing!
You can learn more about saving water at home by visiting waterwise advice.